The renowned Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City has been identified as one of several buildings on the Upper East Side to test positive for Legionella bacteria, the cause of Legionnaires' disease. This development comes amidst a recent outbreak in Manhattan, which has seen more than 50 individuals diagnosed with the serious form of pneumonia.
City health officials confirmed that 31 buildings in the area were ordered to clean and disinfect their cooling towers following the positive tests. The distinctive, cylindrical Guggenheim Museum was among 19 premises that had already completed the necessary remediation work, with the remaining sites expected to follow suit swiftly. Despite the positive test, the museum was not closed to the public at any point, and officials have stressed that the tests cannot distinguish between live and dead bacteria, meaning a positive result does not definitively identify a building as the source of an outbreak.
The museum released a statement confirming that no further action is required and that it poses no risk to visitors or staff. They also noted that an external company conducts regular monthly testing and treatment of their cooling tower. Legionnaires' disease is contracted by breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water, typically from sources like cooling towers, showerheads, or hot tubs. It is not transmitted person-to-person.
This latest cluster of cases in the Upper East Side has led to over 50 diagnoses, with fewer than 20 individuals currently receiving hospital treatment. No fatalities have been reported in connection with this specific outbreak. However, the situation brings to mind a more severe outbreak in Harlem last year, where seven people died and over 100 were sickened. That previous incident was ultimately traced back to cooling towers at Harlem Hospital and a nearby construction site.
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease, which usually appear two days to two weeks after exposure, include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. Individuals aged 50 or older, smokers, those with chronic lung conditions, or weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of developing the illness.